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On February 24, the Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs Elinar Vardanyan, the deputies Alexander Arzumanyan and Mher Shahgledyan met with Richard Mills, U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia.

Welcoming the Ambassador, Elinar Vardanyan especially highlighted the activation of the political contacts and noted that the Armenian-American relations develop with new quality and high level.

In the course of the meeting the interlocutors debated several controversial provisions relating to the RA draft law “On the NGOs.”

Thanking the MPs for the warm reception, the U.S. Ambassador has noted the United States continues to remain the faithful and stable partner of Armenia.

Richard Mills highly assessed the parliamentary hearings on the draft law “On the NGOs” organized several days ago by the NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs.

The Ambassador has stated that they have cooperated with the RA Government for a long time regarding the revision of the abovementioned draft law. He has underlined that in case of its adoption that law will meet the demands and interest of Armenia’s civil society. He has added that his country welcomes the positive involvement of the RA Ministry of Justice and the civil society and encourages the further debates between the civil society and the National Assembly to reach full consent over the adoption of the draft law.

During the meeting the sides debated a number of issues of bilateral interest, which related to the activities of the Human Rights Defender’s Office, the RA Electoral Code, the issue of the energy and gas prices rises.